My puzzling joke
by Bat-teen 28
Summary: I would like a vote. If you think I should carry on this version of how Riddler and Jester met or my other one. Please tell me in your review. Which ever one has the most votes I will carry on. So I think the title says it all.


How people become friends is puzzling joke to no end. Note: I would like to know if I should continue this version of Jester and Riddler's becoming friends story or the other one. Please let me know which one in your review. :D

* * *

The Pennettetry was loud with excitement.

The reason? Well, there was new inmate coming.

Harley leaned up against the bars of her cell, Jonathan sat on his bed, Jervis poked his head through the bars and Edward stood leaning up against the wall.

The rogues weren't paying attention, until they heard shouts, screams and laughter, coming from the corridor.

The rogues stared as Doctor Young went rushing past the cells glaring at Edward as she went. Their last session hadn't gone well.

"Doctor Young, where do you want us to put the prisoner?" they heard one of the guards ask.

"I'll take her and put her with Nigma." said Young.

"Are you sure Doc' I mean she is dangerous-"

"She's just a child. What harm can she possibly do?"

The rogues eyes went wide as they spotted Young pulling a girl along the corridor to Edward's cell.

The girl giggled. "Penelope, the things I could do, would make what the Joker does, look like child's play!"

Doctor Young rolled her eyes, then she froze. "H-how do you know my name?" she asked as she pushed the girl into Edward's cell.

The girl shrugged. "That's for me to know and for you to, well, not to."

Young narrowed her eyes before shutting the cell door, locking it in the process and stormed off.

The girl looked up at Edward and smiled. Then she looked at the other cells and smiled again.

"Well, I never thought that, on my first day at Arkham, I would meet Harley Quinn, The Scarecrow, The Mad Hatter and…" she looks at Edward and grined. "The Riddler."

Edward raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, you seem to be very knowledgeable when it comes to rogues. You even knew who Jonathan was and he wasn't even wearing his mask."

The girl smiled. "Well, I made it my job to find out what each of you looked like, without your costumes."

Harley tilted her head to the side. "You have white skin, like my Mister J."

"Yes, yes. And black and white hair." Jervis spoke up.

"Why are you like that child?" asked Jonathan.

The girl smiled. "You're a smart man Doctor Crain. You tell me."

Edward slid down the wall and placed his hands on top of his knees. "What is your name?"

The girl tilted her head to the side. "Which one do you want?"

Edward raised an eyebrow. "You have more than one?"

The girl smiled and sat down on the floor. "Yes. As do you Mister Nigma."

Edward chuckled. "I think I get what you mean, in which case means I have three."

The girl tilted her head to the side, before a grin cracked across her face. "Indeed. But Mister Nigma, I have been known by many names. But at the moment I only have two."

Edward placed his hands in a steeple. "Which are?"

The girl smiled. "My name is Jessica. Jessica Turner. But most folks call me Jester." the girl paused before smiling and saying. "You can probably see why."

Jonathan raised an eyebrow. "Jester? Hmmmm, do you work for the Joker by any chance?"

Jester smiled. "That's the question isn't it? Do I work for the Joker? Well, in answer to your question, I do occasionally but not very often."

Just then Doctor Young came up to the cell. "Miss Turner. I am your assigned Doctor. I will be treating you here, at Arkham Asylum, so you can go back into-"

"The land of the sane? No thanks Doc' I'm quite happy the way I am." Jester inturrupted.

Doctor Young looked shocked. "Please ,Jessica, I only want to help you."

"And I only want you to leave me alone, Doctor Young." Jester retorted.

Doctor Young narrowed her eyes at Jester. "Jessica, please listen to me. You're too young to be in here with these monsters-"

"That's a nice word you use to describe your patients. Then again, thinking about how often they escape, I guess I should be calling them guests. Which only makes you a very bad hostess." said Jester grinning. She gained some sniggers and giggles from that joke.

Doctor Young began to count to ten in her head.

Jester smiled. "Counting to ten are we? Well, I must admit, I lasted longer with you then I did with the guards. The warden was even shorter."

Doctor Young looked outraged. She turned on her heal and stormed off once again.

Edward tilted his head to the side. The child was confusing him. Why? He hadn't the foggiest. But she was perplexing him to no end. "What drove you to insanity?" he asked.

Jester turned to him and frowned. "Insanity? I think you mean clarity. Everything is so clear,now. I understand all of it."

This only confused Edward further. He had worked out she was off the streets. But the words she was using spoke of a higher wealth, then the streets.

Jonathan seemed to notice this too, because he asked. "I demand that you tell me where you're from."

"And I demand that you mind your own business." Jester snapped back.

Just then a guard came carrying a bundle. "Here's your stuff ,Jester." he said as he through it in.

Jester caught it and looked through it. "Hey! It's not all here!" she yelled outraged.

The guard narrowed his eyes at her. "That's because the other stuff was dangerous."

Jester rolled her eyes as the man walked off. What was dangerous about a pencil case full of pencils? It's not like she could kill any one with a pencil.

With a sigh, she picked up her one photo of her family, well, step family. The bunch of gypsies' that had taken her and her sister in.

She folded the photo up and placed in in her locket, that was shaped like the house of clubs on playing cards.

Then she picked up a comic book and began to read it.

No one spoke a word after that.

* * *

The next day Jester was aloud free time. She used it to walk around the Asylum grounds, to get used to her surroundings.

"Oh Jester."

Jester stopped and turned around to see Edward or the Riddler, which ever one you prefer, walking up to her.

Jester raised an eyebrow. "What do Ya' want Mister Nigma?"

Edward sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "I want a lot of things. The main one having Gotham's flying rodent population destroyed, but I don't see that happening any time soon. Unfortunately."

Jester stared at him, before turning on her heal and saying. "Good bye Mister Nigma."

Edward blinked. "Hey wait!"

Jester turned around again. "Yes?"

"Well, seeing as you're new here how about, I show you around the place?" said Edward grinning.

Jester folded her arms. "I know you and the others drew straws this morning. I didn't know what it was about but now I think it was who was going to talk to me and find stuff out about me. I don't know why they would send you even if you won because," she unfolded her arms and walked up to him drawing, with her finger, a question mark on his chest. "You'd just tell them the answers in riddles." with that she turned on her heal and walked off.

Edward stood there, mouth slightly a gape. What had just happened? Scratch that. How had that happened? He let her take full control of the conversation and had lost.

"But I did learn something." Edward muttered to himself. When Jester had first greeted him, she said 'Ya' instead of you. Letting a little accent slip in there too. Why was she so determined to keep her past a secret? Then again, he could relate. Why talk about something you don't like to satisfy someone else's curiosity?

He had to find out more though. After all, it was his job to know everything.

He ran after Jester through the cave walk way to Arkham West.

He watched as she walked up to the Mansion and seemed to be studying the lock.

Then she looked on the floor and picked up a rock.

Edward sniggered. Ha! Another imbecile who uses brute force instead of wit.

But the girl didn't use it to smash the lock, instead she thew it at a window and hid round the side of the entrance.

Edward watched as the guards went running out ,looking for the culprit.

The door shut as the last guard went running out and Edward couldn't help but snigger a bit.

Now she won't be able to get in because-.

His train of thought was interrupted as he watched the kid climb on top of the little ledge that was above the entrance.

He watched as she pulled the air vent cover off the the wall, then slid it back on so it could look attached but not be attached.

Then the guards turned and began to walk back inside. Jester jumped and laded silently next to the last one as he walked past and nicked his key card.

The movement was so quick that even Edward didn't notice her take it, until she held it up to the light a triumphant smirk on her face.

She unzipped her uniform a bit and slipped it in side, still grinning.

The she looked around, zipped herself up again, placed her hands in her pockets and began to walk away, whistling a tune.

Edward couldn't help but smile to himself. "Not bad kid." he said as he watched her walk off. "Not bad at all."

* * *

When Edward reached the cafeteria Jonathan, Jervis, Harley and Ivy were already there.

He went and sat with them carrying his poor excuse for food with him.

Jonathan looked up at him. "Find anything out?" he asked.

Edward nodded. "A little bit, not much. Whatever happen to her in her past it taught her not to trust people. But she did let one thing slip."

Harley tilted her head to the side. "Which was?" she asked.

Edward swallowed. He had to really concentrate now, so he didn't say the answer in a riddle. "She is not from Gotham, I don't know where she is from, but she let a bit of an accent step in but she only said one word which isn't enough for me to determine where she's from."

Jervis smiled. "Well, at least we know something new."

Edward rubbed his chin. "There is another thing, well, there's actually two."

"What is it?" Ivy asked before he started ranting.

"Well, she started to whistle a song, I think it was gypsies, tramps and thieves. But I'm not too sure." said Edward.

Jonathan blinked. "That's an old song in her case. I wonder where she heard that?"

"What's the other thing, Ya' noticed Eddie?" asked Harley.

"Well, she is quite…" Edward bit his lip. He didn't usually say this next thing.

"She's quite…?" asked Ivy in a way that said continue.

Edward swallowed. "Smart. She seems to be quite smart."

Everyone stared at him, shocked.

"What?" he asked.

The rogues shook their heads. "Nothing." they all said in union.

Harley looked up and waved. "Hey, Kiddo', come and sit with us!"

Everyone looked over at Jester, who slowly walked up to the group. She sat next to Jervis and began to eat the food.

"Is the clubs your symble?" asked Jervis.

Jester looked up. "Yes it is, Mister Tetch."

"I don't think you've met Red!" said Harley putting a hand over Ivy's shoulder and quickly taking it away, after a glare was sent her way.

Jester nodded. "It's nice to meet you Doctor Isley."

"Well, well, well. Look who it is!"

Jester groaned and placed her head in her hands. "Not you. Oh please not you."

Jester then got slammed into by another young girl around her age, who placed an arm around her shoulder. "How is my sister dearest doing, long time no see?" said the girl.

"Not long enough." Jester muttered.

Her sister rolled her eyes. "Shhhheeeeshh! Somebody's in a cherrie mood."

"Please just leave me alone, Sasha." said Jester.

Jester yelped in pain as her sister squeezed her shoulder. "My name is Sorrow! Not Sasha!"

Jester rolled her eyes. "Sorry little miss moody." she snapped back.

"You're one to talk about moods!" Sorrow snapped back.

Jester nodded her head in agreement. "Hmmm, it's getting me to shut up, that's the problem."

Sorrow removed her arm from Jester's shoulder and glared at her. "Are you smart mouthing me, Jessica?"

Jester slammed her hands on the table. "I don't know ,Sasha, am I?"

Sasha narrowed her eyes. "My name is Sorrow!"

"As mine is Jester!" Jester snapped back.

The two sisters glared at each other.

"Listen here you little brat!" Sorrow shouted pointing a finger at Jester. "You may have gotten pushed into a vat of chemicals, but we're still twins! So don't forget the fact that we look the same! So in a way you are insulting yourself."

Jester rubbed her temples. "Some where in the path of logic, that makes sense. Thinking about it though, I am so glad we weren't conjoined twins!"

"And why is that?" snapped Sorrow.

"Because living with you stuck to me for my entire life, is a hell that even the devil wouldn't want to live in." Jester snapped back.

"I could say the same 'bout you!" Sorrow hissed.

Jester shook her head and stood up. "No you couldn't. Do you want to know why?"

Sorrow stood up and leaned in closer to her sister and hissed through gritted teeth. "Do tell."

"Because if we were stuck together, I would sowe your mouth up so you couldn't annoy me by speaking!" Jester yelled.

"Sorrow! Time for therapy!" yelled one of the guards.

Jester grinned. "Looks like you've gotta' go."

Sorrow narrowed her eyes. "Just you wait, Jessica. I'll get back at you!"

Jester waved her off. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yada, yada, yada. That's all you do! Yack,Yack,yack!" said Jester making her hand look like a talking mouth.

Sorrow glared at her and gave her a hug shouting. "Good bye sister dearest." then in a low threatening voice hissed into Jester's ear. "Watch your back because strange things happen in Asylums."

Jester giggled. "Can't be as strange as my looks?"

Sorrow growled.

"Sorrow come on let's go!" shouted the guard.

Sorrow began to walk away when Jester shouted at the top of her voice. "Have a nice session sister dearest!"

The two sisters glared at each other one last time before Sorrow walked off.

"You two don't like each other, do you?" said Edward grinning.

Jester rolled her eyes. "No? Really? What was your first guess?"

"The first few insults." said Edward still grinning.

Jester narrowed her eyes at him. "You've got a real attitude about Ya' Mister Nigma." Jester sat down and stabbed her plastic fork into the table. "And I don't like people with that sort of an attitude, so watch your step!" with that Jester left the room and the table, leaving the small group of rogues in silence.

* * *

Later that night Edward was woken up by the sound of a key card being slipped into his cell lock.

He opened his eyes to see a slim form, slip out of his cell.

Was it the kid? Probably.

Edward got up and sneaked out after her.

Following her down the the corridors and dimly lit passageways.

They walked out on to Arkham west to the mansion.

Edward watch as the girl climbed on to the small ledge, opened the air vent and crawled inside.

"What are you up to ,little girl?" Edward muttered to himself.

He walked up to the mansion and climbed on to the small ledge.

Crawling through the air vent he came to a small room, with a door opposite him.

Edward climbed out of the vent and walked over to the door, opened it and spotted Jester on the other side opening another air vent.

Edward slowly slid along the side of the wall to the floor. Then he walked to the door and opened it walking inside.

He looked up to see Jester running along the metal walk way.

Then she jumped down and ran into the records room, where they kept all of the patient files.

Edward quickly followed after her and suddenly a brilliant idea came into his head.

Why don't I check out little Jesters file and her sisters while I'm at it.

Edward walked over to a filing cabinet and began to search the files.

Meanwhile ,Jester was searching for his file. Finally she found it and as a rather strange coincidence he found hers.

And both of them began to read out loud.

"Jessica Turner, aka Jester." said Edward in a low whisper.

"Eddie Nashton, changed to Edward Nigma at the age of 21, legally, aka the Riddler." Jester whispered.

"Jessica comes from a family of gypsies, that adopted her, well that explains how she knew the song."

"Edward comes from a poor family and was a suffer of child abuse and neglect."

"She suffers from a complex fear of being classed as a freak, because of her appearance."

"Has a major supiroity complex and an ego to match."

"Not much is known about her past only that black mask has something to do with it."

"We know about his child life then there is a gap in his history and no one knows what happens to him, until he appears as the Riddler."

"Her sister is a hence girl for black mask, this is probably the reason for their hatred towards each other."

Just then a loud crash inturrupeted the two in mid reading.

Jester ran out of the room, Edward's file still in her hands, Edward doing the same and still holding her file.

Edward was able to get out of the mansion before Jester and ran to their cell.

Edward got there and lay down on his bed, Jester's file still in his hands.

A few minutes later Jester came in, shut the cell door and screamed when she turned around to find Edward standing right behind her.

"Where have you been?" he asked, even though he already knew.

Jester narrowed her eyes at him. "That's none of your business." she snapped.

Then Jester saw her file on his bed. "You were at the mansion!" she cried.

"As were you." said Edward eyeing the file in Jester's hand.

Jester narrowed her eyes at him even more, then she ran over to the file and read it.

While she ran past Edward snatched the file she had in her hands out and began to read it.

Both of them stopped reading, turned around, pointed at each other and shouted "You got my file! What are you doing with my file!?"

Then the surrounding cells, inhabitance started yelling.

"Shut up you two!"

"Do Ya' know what time it is, Ya losers?!"

"I say, it is rather rude to interrupted one, while they are sleeping!"

"The sun isn't even up yet!"

"What are you doing waken' people up at this un godly hour?!"

"If you two don't shut up I'll eat the flesh off of your bones!"

"I will break you sengior! You too chica!"

Jester and Edward glared at each other.

"Well done, genius! Why don't Ya' just wake the whole Asylum up?" Jester hissed at him.

"You didn't exactly help either!" Edward snapped back.

Just then the guards came running down the corridor.

"Sorrow has escaped! Come on!" shouted one of them.

Jester went wide eyed.

After the guards had left the room fell silent.

Edward turned to Jester who just stood there silent.

"I take it that was your sister?" said Edward.

Jester sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "What was your first clue?"

"What 'append between you two?" asked Harley.

Jester shook her head. "Something bad."

"And what's that?" asked Croc from down the corridor.

"That….. Well, that we'll leave for another day." said Jester as she lay down on her bed.

"And what day is that Chica?" asked Bane who was also somewhere down the corridor.

"That day is a day that will never come." whispered Jester.

* * *

The next day no one was aloud out of their cell, because of the break out.

Jester sat on the floor staring at the ceiling, because there was nothing better to do.

True she could talk to her cell mate Edward Nigma, but she was not in the mood.

Then again, thinking about it, when was she ever in the mood?

"Jester get up it's time for you session with Doctor Young." shouted a guard.

Jester sighed and slowly got up and walked over to him.

He held up some cuffs and placed them on her wrists, before taking her off to therapy.

When they reached Doctor Young's office, they had to wait outside because the Doctor and the Warden, were having an argument.

Jester wasn't very good at lip reading, she was okay but not anything special. Her sister could lip read really well, which was slightly ironic, when she wore a mask where you couldn't see her lips.

Jester could read body language though and now it seemed to be paying off really well.

Doctor Young was nervous, annoyed and shaken. The Warden was angry, frustrated but shaken too.

Jester tried to concentrate to see what they were talking about. Focussing on their lips she made out something like. 'We can't …..to risky…Titan not…it's to….Warden.'

'It's your job….on the line…. you have…..get ready….if the Titan…then its on…Doctor Young.'

'I know, I know…..it's still…risky I ….anything like that….moment because…Titan…not ready….needs more testing.'

Jester was confused. What the heck was Titan and why was it so important?

Then Doctor Young looked up, said one last thing to the Warden and opened the door for him to leave.

As he left, he gave Jester a glare, which she returned before she was brought into Doctor Young's office.

She was put in the chair in front of Doctor Young's desk, then the guard walked out.

"Patient interview 24. Patient's name is Jessica Turner also known as Jester." said Doctor Young as she started the session and tape recorder.

Doctor Young looked up at Jester and smiled. "How has your stay at Arkham been so far?" she asked.

Jester shrugged. "As fun as it can get when you're cell mates with an annoying narssissitic genius with delusions of grandure."

Doctor Young blinked a couple of times. "Okay. Well, I hope that I will be able to help you Jessica-"

"please, Doctor Young, if you're going to call me by my name then call me Jess, not Jessica." Jester interrupted.

"Okay then, well, Jess I would like to talk to you about your childhood." said Doctor Young.

Jester bit her lip and throughout for a bit. "Annoying, sad, funny, miserable. Next?" asked Jester.

"Please Jess, your past is the key to your mental problem." said Doctor Young.

"What mental problem? I'll have you know Doctor Young, that I am quite fine with my insanity." said Jester folding her arms.

"Jess, your past holds the key to the cause of your insanity! A person once told me that 'what happens to us in the past effects us in the future'. If you tell me what happened to you in the past then I can help you. I can cure you!" said Doctor Young.

Jester tilted her head to the side. "Cure me huh? Hmmm, what happens to us in the past effects us in the future? I disagree with that Doctor Young."

Doctor Young went wide eyed. "Oh and what do you believe then?"

"What happens to us in the past effects us in the future, true it does a little bit. But I think it's what we do in the present that changes our lives for ever. So Doc' what are you doing in the present?" said Jester an evil smile creeping on to her face.

"I'm not sure, I know what you're talking about-"

"Oh I think Ya' do." Jester interrupted.

Doctor Young went pale.

"So what's this Titan thing you've got going on?" asked Jester.

Doctor Young went wide eyed. "I think this session is done for today." she said as she stopped the tape recorder and called for the guard, to take Jester back to her cell.

* * *

When Jester went to the cafeteria the others ,that were on her corridor, sat in a bunch at a table, in the corner.

Jester sighed and went to sit somewhere else, but a guard got in her way.

"Sorry Jester, you have to sit with the people that are on your corridor." he said.

Jester tilted her head to the side as she observed the guard that stood in front of him.

He was a tall and well built black man, with a hook at the end of one hand.

"Why do I have to sit with the people that are on my corridor?" Jester asked.

"Because of the break out, we want to make sure everyone's here." said the guard.

Jester sighed before nodding and walking over to them.

"Hey, Jester!"

Jester turned to the guard. "Yes?" she asked.

"If they cause you any trouble, just call for Aaron Cash and I'll come and get you, okay?" said the guard who Jester was guessing was Aaron Cash.

"Okay thank you, Mr Cash." said Jester before she walked over to her…. well I guess they're her corridor mates.

"We heard your session with Doc' Young was interesting." said Harley smiling up at Jester as she came and sat down.

Jester grimaced. "You could say that."

"She's quite a piece of work, isn't she child?" said Jonathan.

Jester nodded her head vigorously. "She said something like what happens to us in the past effects us in the future."

"Ahh, yes she has used that one with me before." said Edward smiling.

"No she 'asen't Ya' lier!" snapped Harley.

"How do you know she hasn't?" Edward snapped back. "And I do not lie ,Harleen."

"I told cha' ta' call me Harley! Eddie!" Harley hissed.

"And I told you to call me Edward, Harley!" Edward hissed back.

"Are you two finished?" asked Ivy, slightly irritated because she was in-between the bickering pair.

The two of them glared at her before huffing in annoyance and turning to eat their food again.

"So what did Ya' yell back at the witch?" asked Croc.

"I said that I disagreed with her and told her that I believe what we do in the present changes our lives for ever." said Jester with a shrug.

The group chuckled a little bit.

"I bet that shut her up." said Ivy smiling.

Jester nodded. "Then I asked her a question about something I err, lip read. She ended the session then."

The group looked up at Jester a worried expression on all of their faces.

Jester raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

Bane spoke up then. "Be careful Chica, it's dangerous to know stuff about the Doctors of this Asylum. Especially someone like the bruja."

Jester furrowed her eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"

"Err, some of the, um, staff use certain methods to ,err, keep us from talking and asking any questions." said Jervis.

The older villains nodded their heads in agreement.

"Someone like Hugo Strange!" hissed Edward.

The group all got tense at the mention of his name but it was gone very quickly.

"Or Lyol Bolton." whispered Jonathan. He glanced at Jester who was staring at the others with a slight fascination. They had all stiffened at the sound of his name. "You are very lucky that you won't have to suffer at his hands ,child."

Jester looked up at Jonathan. "What about Hugo Strange?"

Jonathan sighed.

Edward looked up and bit his lip. "He, I'm afraid, is still here." he said.

Jonathan's ears perked up then. "Interesting choice of words Edward," said Jonathan smiling, but it was a cold smile and his voice had changed slightly to that of a more evil one.

The table fell to silence as they stared at Jonathan who continued. "Tell me, what are you afraid of?"

Edward stared at Jonathan, his eyes wide with terror, which was, unfortunately ,only encouraging Jonathan even more.

Jester leaned over to Bane. "Err, what's happened to Doctor Crain?" she asked in a whisper.

Bane looked down at her and whispered back. "He suffers from a split persona. He's okay when he's Jonathan Crain, who is only interested in fear. But his alter ego ,Scarecrow, hungers to inflict fear on others. That's why he makes his toxin, but if Scarecrow didn't have it at the time, he could still fracture your mind with just phycology."

Jester went wide eyed.

"That's why ,Kid, when you here Jonny go in that voice and gets that look in his eyes, you know you're not talking to Jonathan any more, but Scarecrow and then you do the one thing you can do." said Croc.

Jester swallowed the lump in her throat. "Which is?" she asked.

"Ta' run and 'ope that he don't catch Ya'." said Harley glancing at Edward slightly worried.

Everyone was looking at Edward ,apart from Scarecrow, with a slightly worried expression on their faces. Even Ivy looked worried, because here, you couldn't run away.

The next thing that happened was kinda' flash of orange for Jester. Because Jonathan jumped over the table and crashed into Edward.

Trays went flying and very quickly a riot started.

Jester ran through the crowds to find Edward struggling with Scarecrow on top of him.

Jester grabbed a guard barton and slammed it into the side of Scarecrows head.

Then she grabbed Edward's arm and dragged him out of the cafeteria to the kitchens.

"Are you okay?" she asked him.

Edward glanced up at her. "Yes I'm fine. I could of handled him you know!" he snapped back.

Jester rolled her eyes. "You're welcome."

Then she began to search the shelves for something to use.

Then she found it. A frying pan.

Jester grinned as she picked up the heavy object and slowly crept over to Edward.

"Why did you get me out of the riot any way?" asked Edward.

Jester smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'll tell Ya' when we're in the car and you have regained consciousness." she said in a light tone.

Edward nodded. "That sounds like a- hey wait what did you-"

BANG!

He never got to finish his sentence.

* * *

Edward groned as he slowly came round.

He blinked a couple of times before looking around.

He was in a car. A moving car.

He was in a car, he didn't know who with and he hadn't the foggiest where he was or where the person was taking him.

"I got Ya' some coffee. I thought you would like some." said the person who was driving as he passed him a coffee cup.

Edward took it. "Thank you." he said as he took a gulp of coffee.

"Not a problem Mister Nigma."

Edward froze. That voice, that thrase, where had he heard it before?

When his extremely tired mind managed to process where he had heard all of this he slowly looked to the side of him and spotted a rather happy Jester, in normal clothing next to him.

She turned to him and smiled. "Morning."

Edward went wide eyed. "What- who- why- how?" was all Edward was able to pronounce.

Jester giggled. "Aww, you're so cute when you're confused." she said smiling.

Edward narrowed his eyes at her. He could deal with idiot, he could deal with being called a moron. But cute, was another matter entirely.

"Jester," he said quite calmly compared to how he was actually feeling.

"Yes, Mister Nigma?" asked Jester.

Edward took a deep breath. "You may call me many insulting things, I don't care. But you will not ,under any circumstances, call me cute! Understand!?"

Jester chuckled. "Alright, Mister Nigma."

Edward rubbed the back of his head. "What did you hit me with?"

His question was answered when Jester held up the frying pan, from the Asylum.

"You hit me with that?!" cried Edward.

Jester shrugged. "What else was I surposed to do?"

Edward rubbed his temples. "If you wanted me to come with you, you could of just asked."

Jester frowned. "You might of said no then."

Edward was, by now, at a very short fuse. His head hurt, he didn't know where he was and he was with the most ,in his opinion which of course was the only one he was going to listen to, annoying person from the Asylum.

"Where are we any way?" he asked drinking the coffee.

"We're in Metropolis. I managed to track her down." said Jester.

Edward almost chocked on his coffee, as his mind suddenly processed what Jester had just said.

"Metropolis?! What in the name of AURTHER WYNN are we doing in Metropolis?!" he cried.

Jester raised an eyebrow. "Who's Aurther Wynn?"

Edward stared at her. "You don't know who Aurther Wynn is?" he asked in dissberleaf.

Jester sighed. "Do I need to repeat my self?"

Edward ran a hand through his hair. "What do they teach you at school these days? Oh wait you never went to school because you were to buissy rotting in an Asylum."

Jester then grabbed the frying pan and once again knocked him out.

Then she took a deep breath. "God, he is so annoying."

* * *

When Edward woke up he was somewhere different.

Now where am I? he thought.

Jester was still driving.

"Where are we?" Edward asked.

Jester glanced at him. "We're in New York."

Edward blinked. "What the heck are we doing in New York?"

"I've managed to track her down, to here. I think she's gone to England. But I'm not sure." was all Jester said to him.

"Who are you talking about?" asked Edward.

"My sister." Jester hissed back.

Edward nodded. "And you needed me with you because…..?"

Jester glanced at him. "Because, you are the only one I trust."

Edward stared at her. "What?"

"You heard me! I trust you. Stupid I know, but I do." said Jester.

Edward raised an eyebrow. "You trust me with what?"

"I trust that you won't tell any body what you found out, because if everyone knew the answer then the question would be worthless." said Jester.

"And the question is what, exactly?" asked Edward.

Jester swallowed. "What happened in Jessica Turner's past that made her what she is now?"

She turned to a very stuned Edward. "You wanted to know what happened to me. I need help stoping my sister and possibly Black Mask in the process. You are the smartest person there is and I have information you want."

Edward nodded his head. He understood where this was going. "You want me to help you and in exchange I get to find out what happened to you."

Jester sighed. "That's the idea."

Edward smiled, then he scowled. "You hit me with that stupid frying pan again."

Jester sighed. "Ya' know you are so much more nice to be with when You're unconciuss."

Edward narrowed his eyes. "Where did you learn to drive any way?"

"I used to hot wire cars. I had to get them from 'A' to 'B' so I taught my self." replied Jester.

"I take it this car is stolen then?" asked Edward, but it was more of a state meant then a question.

"You would be correct." said Jester. "As are the clothes."

It was then Edward realised that he wasn't in his Arkham uniform, but a green t-shirt and black trousers, with green baseball boots.

"How?" was his first question. then he panicked.

"Don't worry I didn't peak. But I gotta admit, I knew you liked question marks, but I didn't expect them to be on your underwear." said Jester giggling.

Then she started to laugh historically when she saw how red Edward's face had gone.

"Ya' know I can see why you wear green and purple. Red is not your colour." said Jester smiling.

"Shut it!" snapped Edward.

Jester giggled. "Okay, Mister Nigma."

Edward sighed. This was going to be a long trip.

* * *

Being in a car with Jester on your own is bad.

Being in a car with Jester on your own in a traffic jam is worse.

She got board and easily distracted. Edward had to constantly put his hands on the wheel and take over because she wasn't looking around her and almost crashed into something.

Edward by the end of the drive gripped the seat belt till his buckles where white and looked like they were going to break the skin.

Jester smiled and looked at Edward. "Wait here, I'll be back in a minute."

"Waiting here. Sounds like a good idea." said Edward still staring at his eyelids because his eyes were firmly shut.

Jester chuckled before getting out of the car and locking it.

Edward took a deep breath before opening his eyes and looking around.

They were still in New York, which wasn't that bad. No men dressed as flying rodents here.

He slowly sunk into his seat and closed his eyes again.

He was going to get killed. He knew that.

He would die at the hands of a teenager, because they didn't know how to drive and they would crash into something and die a horribly painful blazing inferno kind of death.

Shaking those thoughts out of his head, Edward slowly sat up and opened his eyes again.

Then Jester came back inside smiling. "We're going back to Gotham, you'll be pleased to know."

Gotham! Edward never thought he'd miss the place, but after spending an entire hour with Jester in rush hour New York traffic, he'd do anything just to be back and see the horrible dark blood stained streets again.

Jester smiled. "Well, it wasn't a wasted jurny I mean we did get to see New York and Metropolis."

"You mean you got to see New York and Metropolis. I was ,mysteriously knocked out for most of it." Edward snapped back.

Jester sighed. "Well, you'll be able to see it on the way back. Unless of course you annoy me and I'll have to get the frying pan out again."

* * *

Later that day a man had to be rushed to hospital because he got concusion.

Acording to whitnesses the man was just walking down the street ,minding his own business, when out of a car window that was passing him at the time, I very large, very heavy frying pan, that had the words 'property of Arkham Asylum' written underneath it, came flying out of the passenger window of the car and smashed into his head.

After that a new rule was passed in New York which was, you are not aloud ,under any circumstances, to frow very heavy frying pans out of car windows.

* * *

Jester hadn't spoken a word since Edward had frown the frying pan out of the window.

Edward hadn't said any thing either. Instead, he just sat there staring out at the scenery as it flew past.

Why was he even staying with the kid? He could escape if he wanted to, so why didn't he?

Edward sighed and looked over at Jester, who's eyes were fixed on the road.

What was her story? Why was she a criminal? What had happened to her that was so bad it had broken her mind completely?

"What happened to you?" Edward suddenly asked.

Jester sighed. "A very bad thing happened to me."

"Yes but what was it?" asked Edward.

Jester slowly closed her eyes and her face showed pain and hurt, like remembering what had happened was worse then the event its self.

Slowly she opened her eyes, turned to Edward and uttered two words. "Black Mask."

The girl looked back at the road before whispering. "Black Mask happened."

Edward stared at her. "What happened between you and your sister?" he asked.

He noticed the girls hands tightened on the steering wheel. "Betrayal." whispered Jester.

"Was it something to do with Black Mask?" asked Edward.

Jester bowed her head. "Yes. It was all to do with Black Mask." Then she looked up her eyes blazing with fury. "It was his fault! Black Mask is the reason I'm a freak! Black Mask is the reason me and my sister hate each other! Black Mask! Black Mask, Black Mask, BLACK MASK, BLACK MASK! It's all his fault! He ruined my life so I'm going to return the favour!" she yelled at the top of her voice.

Then she slowly let her head hang again, she looked almost tired, like just talking about Black Mask exsaughsted her.

Then a strange thing happened. She began to cry. All this time Jester had kept her emotions in check, kept them silent and hidden, because in Gotham, you never let your side down. Never.

You never show much, if any emotion otherwise you were easy pray.

Edward stared at her. He didn't know what to do.

"I have a hideout close by. We could stay there." he said.

The girl nodded her head and sniffed, whipping away her tears with the sleeve of her hoodie.

They drove for a few more minutes when they finally reached Edward's hideout.

They got out of the car and Edward answered the riddle on the lock.

Gently pushing the door open, he switched the lights on and walked inside.

Jester walked in behind him her head still hung down. Then she slowly looked up and stared at the place in front of her. It was amazing. She had never seen a place like it.

Computers and other electronic devises were scatted around the place. Giant question marks glowed green, hanging from long pieces of cable. In the dim light the cable looked like snakes, slivering along the walls and the floors.

"This is amazing!" cried Jester. "I knew you had a brilliant mind, Mister Nigma, but even I didn't realise how good it was."

Edward smiled at the compliment and slowly walked over to her.

"So kid got a plan?" he asked.

Jester looked up at him. "I'm not in the mood for thinking up plans at the moment, if you get what I mean. Because, I just had a psychotic break down."

Edward nodded his head. "Go and have some rest then." he said pointing to the couch.

Jester gave a small smile, which said 'thank you' and lay down.

It had been a few hours and Edward, hadn't heard a thing from Jester. He slowly turned around and saw that she had fallen asleep.

Edward smiled, but then he spotted his gun sitting on the table. It still had bullets in it. Why should he stay with the kid, when he could just kill her now and be done with it?

Edward smiled to himself as he picked the gun up and pointed it at Jester's head.

Then a strange thing happened. His hand began to shake. Edward swallowed. "This doesn't usually happen." he muttered to him self.

He shook his head, re-aimed but then made the fatal mistake of looking at her. She looked peaceful. Just happy to be resting.

She looked so innocent, even with white skin and black and white hair, she looked like an ordinary child.

Edward bit his lip as he stared at her. Slowly he lowered his gun when he came to the realisation.

He hadn't the heart to shoot her.

With a heavy sigh, he tossed the gun away, picked up a blanket from his bedroom and layed it over Jester's sleeping form.

Shaking his head and walking off, he muttered to himself. "Edward Nigma, you are going soft."

* * *

When Jester woke up Edward was no where to be seen.

Walking up to a desk she spotted a note that was addressed to her.

Jester.

Have gone out to get food.

I hope you like chines because that's what I'm getting.

Be back soon and please don't do anything stupid while I'm gone.

Edward.

Riddler left her a note? Cute.

Jester shuck her head as she tossed the note assigned.

"I wonder if he has a shower in this place of his?" mused Jester as she went in search of a shower.

* * *

Edward whistled to himself as he answered the riddle on his lock and opened the door, juggling chines food at the same time. Using his foot to shut the door he walked over to a desk and placed the food on it.

He smiled to himself, then his smile went when he heard the shower.

Why was his shower going? He was the only one that lived here.

Then he remembered.

"Oh Jester, I'm back. I brought food!" he cried.

"I'll be out in a minute!" Jester replied.

Edward smiled to himself as he dished the food out. True the kid was annoying but she had her good bits.

But she was still a perplexing riddle and Edward Nigma never left a riddle unsolved. Once he'd solved her, he would leave her and hopefully he would never have to work with her ever again. Sure they would see each other from time to time, maybe in Arkham or at the Iceberg Lounge but he would never work with her again after this.

"What chines did Ya' get Mr Nigma?" asked Jester as she padded in.

Edward smiled. "Oh the usual stuff I get. I hope you like-" he stopped in mid sentence when he realised Jester only had a white shirt on, true it was his so it covered her up very well but it was still a shock.

"What?" she asked as she sat down.

Edward shook his head. "Nothing. Here I think you might like this." he said as he passed her some food.

Jester grinned. "I love chines!"

Edward sat down and raised an eyebrow. "You do?"

Jester nodded her head. "It's one of my favourites!"

Edward nodded his head as he began to eat, Jester doing the same.

"So what happened to you?" asked Edward looking up at her.

Jester sighed. "Well, I got pushed into a vat of chemicals by Black Mask and I went of my rocker, if Ya' get what I mean."

"I meant what happened between you and your sister." said Edward.

Jester turned away. "I told you betrayal."

"That's not an answer." said Edward.

"It's the only one I am willing to give at the moment." said Jester glaring at him. "Besides," she said as she began to smile. "We want to keep some of the mystery don't we?"

Edward smirked. "Of course."

They ate the rest of the food in silence.

* * *

That night Jester was just dropping off to the land of the unconscious when she was woken by a loud moaning coming from down the hall.

Plucking up the courage, Jester got out of her bed slipping a hoodie on and walked out of her room and onto the hall way.

She looked around and heard the moaning again. It was coming from Edward's room.

Slowly she walked over to the door and knocked. "Mister Nigma, are you alright?"

No answer.

Jester bit her lip and knocked a bit louder. "Mister Nigma? Mister Nigma are you okay?"

No answer.

Jester was getting worried now, hammering her fists on the door as hard as she could she cried. "Edward!? Edward?! Are you alright?!"

When she didn't get an answer she opened the door to find Edward on his bed tossing and turning, muttering stuff that Jester couldn't really understand and his face showed pain.

Slowly Jester walked over to him and she began to catch what he was saying.

"No…..no I'm sorry…Dad! Dad, I'm sorry…..I'm so sorry. Please not the belt, please! I won't….lie, or cheat please…you don't have to hit me…please no, no!"

Jester bit her lip, now would be a good time to wake him up.

She placed her hands on Edward's shoulders and gently shook him. "Mister Nigma wake up! It's not real it's a nightmare! Wake up!"

Edward shot up eyes wide with fright and terror, breathing heaverly.

He looked at Jester with a confused look on his face. "J-Jester?" he whispered.

Jester nodded her head. "It's okay Mister Nigma. You just had a nightmare."

Edward nodded his head. "Why do you do that?"

Jester looked confused. "Why do I do what?"

"Why do you call everybody by their surnames?" asked Edward.

Jester shrugged. "I guess, it's because it's a sighn of respect, so I do it for that reason. I think that I should only call people by their first names if they want me too and… they are my friends."

Edward smiled. "Edward." he said holding out his hand.

Jester raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"My name is Edward and I'm letting you call me that." said Edward with a shrug.

Jester blinked a couple of times. "Really?"

Edward smiled and nodded his head.

Jester grinned back at him. "Okay then, Edward. But please just call me Jester."

Edward frowned a little. "Okay but why?"

Jester looked at the ground. "Because it protects the innocent child I still have inside of me, from all the pain and chaos I cause."

Edward stared at her a long time. "Okay Jester. Good night." he said with a small smile.

Jester smiled back at him. "Good night Edward and don't let the crazes bite."

Edward chuckled a little and then he noticed that Jester looked a little nervous about going back to her room.

"What's wrong?" asked Edward.

The girl looked back at him and sighed. "I'm scared that I might have a nightmare." she whispered.

Edward sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Why don't you stay in here then?"

Jester frowned a little bit and looked round. "Where?"

Edward lifted up the quilt covers and looked back at Jester.

"Are you sure?" asked Jester raising and eyebrow.

Edward nodded.

Jester smiled and crawled in with him.

"Just to warn you, I might snore, I don't know if I do but I might." whispered Edward.

Jester giggled. "I managed to sleep in Arkham, I think you will be a doddle."

"You're probably right." Edward whispered back, a smile tugging at his lips.

Jester grinned and snuggled up to him for warmth. "Thank you Edward. You really are like a brother to me. My big brother 'R'." she smiled at him before closing her eyes and eventually falling asleep.

Edward sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "You're welcome, my little sister.

TBC?


End file.
